Thugs chase man through train station

There were chaotic scenes as the terrified 23-year-old, from Dublin's north inner city, jumped over barriers and across train platforms as dozens of people watched the rush-hour drama unfold.

Some commuters were even forced to jump out of the way before the chase ended.

The petty criminal was saved when security personnel got involved and brought him to a room in the station before his would-be attackers fled the scene and gardai arrived.

Sources said that the drama began at about 5pm last Wednesday when the 23-year-old - whose life is under threat - was walking past the train station and a black car pulled up beside him.

One man got out of the vehicle and made a gun gesture at him with his hand before two other men got out of the vehicle and threatened him.

The dramatic chase then unfolded.

The Herald can reveal that the criminal believes that his life is under threat because of a drugs debt that he owes to a north inner city gang and that last week's incident is directly linked to this debt.

He was unharmed, but sources say that if he was caught, the man - who is well known to gardai for multiple offences - "would have got a severe beating if those fellas had caught up with him".

He is understood to be a recovering drug addict who was previously hooked on Zimovane tablets.

His convictions include theft, burglary, criminal damage and public order offences.

One of his most serious criminal convictions dates from July, 2012, when he was jailed for ten months for his part in a random attack on a kitchen porter.

The victim was kicked so severely he needed staples inserted in his head after he was punched and kicked on the ground.

The 23-year-old was "strung out" on sleeping tablets at the time of that attack and is understood to have had a long standing problem with drugs.

kfoy@herald.ie